Timestrip launches iStrip, an inexpensive label that provides a clear indication of temperature abuse in the cold supply chain for products such as live vaccines and biopharmaceuticals
iStrip works by recording the presence of very low temperatures with an irreversible colour change, typically from red to colourless.
The nominal freeze point is 0C but iStrip can be manufactured with a freeze point to match that of the product to which it is applied.
iStrip is a patent pending device consisting of a liquid formulation encapsulated in a label or blister.
Because the volume of liquid needed to present a visible colour change is very small, the indicator can be manufactured as a two-dimensional label, suitable for standard label application techniques.
The market for this technology is potentially huge: live vaccines and many other products have to be transported and stored in temperatures ranging from 2-7C but are vulnerable to damage if the temperature in transit or storage drops below 0C.
The effects of even a temporary drop to freezing temperatures can render a vaccine ineffective and could put lives at risk if administered.
Current freeze indicators are too expensive for individual application and so are mostly applied to whole cases only.
However, as temperatures can range greatly within a case, this method of measurement is imprecise.
The scale of the problem increases as products move further down the logistics chain, where refrigerated transport is replaced by the use of ice-packs and uncalibrated fridges.
Numerous studies have identified freeze-abuse as a widespread problem.
iStrip is small enough and cost-effective enough to be applied to individual products or blister packs and will therefore offer a much more accurate record of the temperature level experienced by a single product, with obvious benefits for end users and manufacturers alike.
"iStrip makes freeze indicators at individual product level a cost effective option for the first time," says Tristan Allen, Timestrip's business development director.
"It addresses a long-standing problem faced by the vaccine industry and has been developed in response to a specific request from a leading company in that sector".
"iStrip represents a significant addition to the company's range and its launch confirms our continuing commitment to innovation and technological development".
Timestrip is well-known for its Timestrip smart labels, which measure the time elapsed since a product has been open or in use.
The technology can be fully integrated into products or packaging as well as an applied label format.
